Women's Indoor Track and Field | 2/22/2023 10:04:34 AM
Alfred University, Hartwick College, Houghton University, Nazareth College, Russell Sage College, St. John Fisher University and Utica University will compete at the two-day 2022-23 Empire 8 Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championships starting at 3 p.m. on Friday, February 24 from the Golisano Training Center on the campus of Nazareth. St. John Fisher will look to earn its fourth straight Empire 8 Championship. Day two action will begin on Saturday, February 25 at 10 a.m.
Live results will be available on Friday and Saturday. For more on this year's championship - including entries, results, and updated information -
please head to the Championship Central page.
2022 Empire 8 Team Capsules (Order Based on 2022 Championship Finish)
St. John Fisher will attempt to win its fourth consecutive Empire 8 Championship this weekend. Junior Riley Corey is the three-time defending Empire 8 Champion in the 5,000-meters and enters the meet with the second best time among all E8 student-athletes in that event and is seeded fourth in the 3,000-meters. Teammates and Laura Witt and Lauren DeMichele are top contenders in all three distance events. The Cardinals have a strong group of sprinters in Samantha Shea, Ciarra Franz, Zhane Lettsome, T’Aliyah Perkins and Michaela Kurbs, who will look to gain valuable points. Shea has the tenth best time nationally in the 400-meters and 24th best in the 60-meters, while Franz is inside the top-50 nationally in the 60-meter hurdles. Kurbs and Veronica Duell enter the meet as the top two performers in the league in the long jump and both are in the top-10 nationally. Maria Covelli is St. John Fisher’s top contender in the triple jump, while Emily Frech and Hayly Fredickson will look to score points in the pole vault. Makenna King will be a strong contender in both throwing events. She is seeded second in the shot put and fourth in the weight throw. Lyndsay O’Brien and Erin McGuinness will also look to score points in the throws. Alondra Arroyo is the defending E8 Champion in the pole vault.
Nazareth, the 2021 and 2022 E8 runner-up, is looking for its first Empire 8 crown. Graduate student Brenna Johnson, the 2019 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year and 2021 Indoor Track Athlete of the Year, is attempting to win her third straight crown in the 400-meter dash and repeat in the long jump. She enters the 2023 championship ranked in the top-four among all Empire 8 student-athletes in the 60-, 200- and 400-meters this season and is nationally ranked at 13th in the high jump (5.63 meters). Abbey Szumloz and Hannah Ragule will vie for points in the sprint events and 60-meter hurdles along with Sydney Vanderhoof as well. In addition, Lilianna Hanning, Emily Weaver, Ella Impaglia and Megan Morin will contend in the distance events. Ragule, the 2021 Empire 8 Indoor Rookie of the Year is one of the top jumpers in the league, along with Johnson and is ranked second in the pentathlon. Isabella Heath and Sydney LaSalle are also contenders in the long and triple jump. Nazareth enters the meet with the top-four heights in the pole vault to date this season with Isabel Moore, Kiara Tornusciolo, Rosie Morse and Lauren Bendall leading the way. Junior Lea Richard is the two-time defending champion in the weight throw and is ranked 18th nationally.
Utica has several standout student-athletes who will vie for individual titles, as the Pioneers will aim to win their first league title in program history. Sophomore Mackenzie Mix, the defending champion in the 200-meters, enters the championship meet with the current top time among all E8 student-athletes in the 200-meters and is second in both the 60- and 400-meters. Mix is nationally-ranked in both the 200- and 400-meters. Laura Meade enters the 2023 meet with the top score in the pentathlon, top leap in the triple jump, second best time in the 60-meter hurdles and is a contender in the sprint events. Senior Jane Fahy is the two-time defending E8 champion in the shot put and has the 28th best mark in Division III this season (13.11 meters). Amina Sinclair enters the championship with the best high jump this season (1.57 meters), while Janaiya Cruz-Bermudez is ranked second in the 800-meters. Jade Dening, the 2021 Empire 8 Cross Country Rookie of the Year, is ranked sixth the mile. Gabrielle DeSanctis, Emilia Costello, Ranasia Bailey, Duanena Graves and Megan Brinck will look to score for Utica in the throws as well.
Houghton will look to win its first E8 title in 2023. Senior Amanda Burrichter, the 2022 Empire 8 Cross Country Runner of the Year, is the two-time defending Empire 8 Champion in both the mile and 3,000-meters. She enters the 2023 E8 Championship with the top time among E8 student-athletes in the mile, 3,000- and 5,000-meters. Alexandria Wisniewski is a strong contender in the 60-meter hurdles and will look to score points in the 400-meters. Kyra Binney, Noelle Linenfesler will run in the middle distance races, while Rachel Domaracki will form a formidable duo with Burrichter in the distance events. Houghton is always well represented in the relay events and this season should be no different. Hayden Williamson was the 2021 Empire 8 Champion in the long jump and is among the league leaders this season, while Abigail Nuzzo is a contender in the pole vault. Kathryn Evans is Houghton’s top thrower, while Williamson, Wisniewski and Katie Widmer will vie for points in the pentathlon.
Alfred enters the 2022 Empire 8 Championship looking to improve off of last season’s fifth place finish. Anne Spila and Bianca Durso are set to lead the Saxons in the pentathlon, as both enter the champion in the top-five among E8 student-athletes this season. Nyah Solly will look to contend in both the long jump and triple jump, while Spila is also a contender in the high jump and 60-meter hurdles. Olivia Gilbert enters the championship looking to earn points for the Saxons in the 800-meters, while McKenzie Hall is a strong middle distance runner. Mari Jablonksi will represent the Saxons in both the 3,000- and 5,000-meters.
Russell Sage is in its third season as an indoor track and field program and has several student-athletes who are among the top performers in a handful of events. Mackenzie Feeney will look to earn points in the 800-meters and mile, while Elizabeth Ingellis is a strong candidate to excel in the 3,000- and 5,000-meter events. Alexus Smith will represent the Gators in the high jump and triple jump.
Hartwick will look to make strong strides forward at the 2023 E8 Championship. Aliyah Williams will look to garner points in the high jump, as she enters with the fifth best leap this season (1.52 meters). Giovanna Wall is Hartwick’s top thrower and hurdler. Brynita Haas will also look to excel for the Hawks in the long distance events.
Current 2022-23 Empire 8 Top Performances (TFRRS Lists)
60-meter dash – Samantha Shea, St. John Fisher – :7.76
200-meter dash – Mackenzie Mix, Utica – :25.66
400-meter dash – Samantha Shea, St. John Fisher – :57.46
800-meter run – Abbey Szumloz, Nazareth – 2:23.61
Mile run – Amanda Burrichter, Houghton – 5:09.72
3,000-meter run – Amanda Burrichter, Houghton – 10:33.94
5,000-meter run – Amanda Burrichter, Houghton – 18:15.97
60-meter hurdles – Cierra Franz, St. John Fisher – :9.06
4 x 400-meter relay – St. John Fisher – 4:06.27
Distance Medley relay – Nazareth – 12:55.30
High Jump – Amina Sinclair, Utica – 1.57 meters (5’1.75)
Hayden Williamson, Houghton – 1.57 meters (5’1.75)
Long Jump – Michaela Kurbs, St. John Fisher – 5.66 meters (18’7”)
Triple Jump – Laura Meade, Utica – 11.17 meters (36’7.75”)
Pole Vault – Isabel Morse, Nazareth – 3.35 meters (10’11.75”)
Kiara Tornusciolo, Nazareth – 3.35 meters (10’11.75”)
Shot Put – Jane Fahy, Utica – 13.11 meters (43’0.25”)
Weight Throw – Lea Richard, Nazareth – 17.03 meters (55’10.5”)
Pentathlon – Laura Meade, Utica – 2,809 points
For the most up to date information on this year's championship, follow the Empire 8 Conference on Twitter (@Empire8).
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
EMPIRE 8 SOCIAL MEDIA
YouTube –
Facebook –
Twitter –
Instagram